The subject invention relates to a bracket for use in securing intersecting pipes to one another, and in particular, to a versatile unitary bracket for use with fasteners for providing a secure fit between intersecting pipes having a wide range of diameters.
In the construction of antennas or antenna platforms, it is often necessary to secure pipes together that intersect one another, and in particular, intersect orthogonally. It has been known to provide a bracket and clamps or fastening mechanisms such as a U-bolt to secure a pipe to a mount, or to secure other items to a pipe or antenna member.
One such bracket and clamp is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,274,888 to W. Payne, incorporated herein by reference.. The clamp in Payne includes a pair of complementary adjustable sliding portions. The sliding portion define a saddle portion to provide a seat for a pipe. The clamp portions are slidable relative to one another so that the width of the saddle may be varied to accommodate pipes of different diameters. The saddle portion includes arcuate surfaces and a single sharp tooth-like projection on each arcuate surface for biting into the surface of the pole to be clamped. This clamp has several disadvantages including complexity of assembly because the saddle portions are split from one another, there are no gripping portions at the base of the saddle, and it is not suitable for and provides no teaching for clamping intersecting pipes to one another.
Another pipe clamp bracket assembly is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,993,670 to R. Tesar, incorporated herein by reference. The bracket assembly is designed to secure gas riser pipes to a support member. The bracket assembly in Tesar includes U-shaped fasteners and a retainer having a scalloped cross-section that provides at least two differently radiused sets of support surfaces for supporting pipes of different diameters. The bracket assembly in Tesar is designed for supporting the gas risers to a parallel support member and is not usable for, nor does it teach using the assembly for, securing pipes together that intersect at an angle. Furthermore, the support surfaces of the retainer do not include any gripping feature to prevent the retainer from slipping on the pipe, and opposing the retainer on the opposite side of the pipe are two L-shaped members which have a flat surface bearing against the pipe. As such, the assembly requires three separate bracket pieces not including the fasteners increasing the complexity of assembly.
A support saddle for tethering pipes, cables, wires, or conduit to a support surface is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,899,963 to P. Murphy, incorporated herein by reference. The saddle includes imbrications to help grip and secure the pipe in a trough of the saddle. Also, an embodiment of the saddle is shown having two troughs wherein intersecting pipes may be tethered together. There are several disadvantages associated with the saddle, one of which is that the saddle for tethering intersecting pipes together is relatively large and bulky and awkward with which to work. The device is also designed to be used with a flexible band type clamp (CL in FIG. 2) and is not designed or suitable, especially in the double trough embodiments, for utilizing a more sturdy U type clamp.
As such, it is an object of this invention to provide a universal bracket suitable for use in clamping intersecting pipes of varying diameters to one another. It is also an object of the invention to provide a clamping assembly that is easy to install requiring a minimum of parts, yet will provide a secure and rigid interconnection.
Another object of the invention is to provide a bracket for the assembly that is easy to handle. Other objects of the invention will become apparent when reading the following detailed description of the invention and the attached claims.
It is a feature of the invention to provide a pipe mounting bracket for mounting a pair of pipes to one another having a base, and at least one saddle member attached to and extending from a surface of the base. In the preferred embodiment, the saddle member has at least two different radial support surfaces for supporting pipes of different diameters. The support surfaces are knurled or ridged to provide a good grip of a pipe supported thereon.
It is another feature of the invention that the base has at least one pair of apertures. One of each of the apertures are located adjacent opposite ends of the saddle member, and in any pair of elongated slots, the slots are located on opposite sides of a midline through the bracket.
In one embodiment of the invention, the bracket has two saddle members, two pairs of elongated slots, and two pairs of apertures in the base. One pair of the elongated slots is located between one of said saddle members and a side edge of the base, and the other pair of elongated slots is located between the other saddle member and the opposite side edge of the base. One of each of the apertures is located adjacent a different comer of the base.
It is also an aspect of the invention to include a third pair of apertures through the base between the saddle members. In the embodiments shown, the saddle members are generally perpendicular to the base.
In one embodiment of the invention, the bracket is a component in a pipe mounting clamp assembly for mounting a pair of pipes to one another. The assembly also includes a pair of fasteners, wherein one of the fasteners is secured to the base through the apertures and the other fastener is secured to the base through the elongated slots.
It is another aspect of the assembly that the major portion of one fastener extends above the surface of the base from which the saddle member extends, and a major portion of the other fastener extends from a surface of the base opposite the surface supporting the saddle members.
In a preferred embodiment of the pipe mounting clamp assembly, both of the fasteners include a U-bolt secured by nuts.
In yet another aspect of the invention, the assembly includes a second pair of U-bolts and a different U-bolt extends through each of either one of the pairs of elongated slots or one of the pairs of apertures.
Furthermore, it is a feature of the invention that the bracket is configured to receive a pipe on the substantially flat back surface of the base transversely to the midline. The bracket is also configured to receive an intersecting pipe to be seated in a radiused surface of the saddle member and generally parallel to the midline.
Other aspects of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description and claims.